Duke of York launches scathing attack on 'hopeless' MoD

The Duke of York has launched an extraordinary attack on the “hopeless”
Ministry of Defence for failing to order an armoured vehicle that could save
British soldiers’ lives.

The Duke of York slammed the Ministry of Defence's "hopeless" procurement processPhoto: AP

By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter

1:54PM GMT 05 Nov 2010

The Duke accused defence chiefs of sitting on their “fat backsides” and stalling on bringing in the British-built Ranger vehicles, which are said to have three times the blast resistance of troop carriers currently in use.

His controversial comments were made at the factory which manufactures the Ranger, which the Duke was visiting in his capacity as an ambassador for UK Trade and Industry.

Last year the MoD said it had no immediate plans to order Rangers, but had asked for independent tests to establish the vehicle’s resistance to roadside bombs of the type used by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Duke told executives at Universal Engineering in Weymouth, Dorset: “Why do they have to do blast tests? It's just increasing the cost.

“It just seems that because it takes time to get these things done - I would say to you that regrettably they will not get off their fat backsides.

“The MoD are completely hopeless at these kind of things.”

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said the remarks were made in a private meeting and declined to comment further.

It is understood that the Duke was addressing members of the company’s board, and was unaware that a local journalist had been invited to witness the meeting.

The 50-year-old Duke, a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot and Colonel-in-Chief of five Army regiments, has regularly visited Afghanistan to see for himself the challenges faced by British service personnel.

After being shown a presentation of the Ranger in action, he agreed it should sell well internationally, adding: “This is supposed to be an export led Government recovery and this seems to be an excellent export product. I don't think I need convincing.”

But he suggested that if the armed forces pull out of Afghanistan by 2015, as the Government has suggested, the company will have “a problem” getting orders.

The £1 million Ranger has a unique “floating” crew capsule suspended above the V-shaped hull that gives it superb protection from roadside bombs. In tests, its armour plating withstood the impact from explosives equivalent to double the average amount found in a Taliban bomb.

Universal Engineering says it could have the vehicles in Afghanistan within six months of an order being placed.

The MoD argues it has already spent billions on US-built Mastiff and Ridgback trucks, which are less agile than Rangers.

John Scott, the Ranger program director, diplomatically said the company enjoyed a good relationship with the MoD and they understood the processes required for all procurement.

John Runyard, chairman of Universal Engineering, said: "He (the Duke) saw the export opportunities and thought the Ranger was a fantastic piece of kit.

“And it will help with the sustainability of jobs in the area.”

An MoD spokesman said the ministry had not ruled out ordering Rangers, adding: “The size and weight of the prototype Ranger vehicle is similar to that of our Mastiff and Ridgback vehicles that are already being used in Afghanistan.

“In the event that future operational requirements are identified for a vehicle of its type then the Ranger could be considered.”